West Virginia to tax most internet retail sales next year

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — West Virginia will tax most internet retail sales, a policy change from Gov. Jim Justice saying he didn’t support imposing new taxes on consumers.

The Charleston Gazette-Mail reports the State Tax Department has issued an administrative notice to most out-of-state retailers ordering they are to begin collecting and remitting taxes on internet sales to West Virginia residents made on or after Jan. 1.

Justice made his comments about taxes in June when a U.S. Supreme Court ruling overturned a 1992 precedent limiting states’ ability to collect sales taxes on many online purchases.

Former state delegate John Doyle criticized Justice’s decision then saying it leaves $50 million or more a year in uncollected revenue and isn’t fair to in-state retailers.

The newspaper couldn’t reach a Justice spokesman for comment on Monday.